It has been suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 1,659,968, Woodward, granted Feb. 21, 1928, to utilize spring biased pawls for engaging the step axles of an escalator to stop movement of the steps in the event that the escalator step chain breaks. This patent discloses the use of the above-noted sprocket shaft disk brakes, and also suggests the use of the pawls in case the conventional brakes fail. The pawls are ordinarily held below the path of travel of the step axles by a solenoid-type catch. If the step chain breaks, the solenoids are deactivated, and a spring is operable to pivot the pawls up into positions where they will engage the step axles and stop the steps. The problem with the Woodward assembly is that the steps are stopped very suddenly by the pawls, and there is no differentiation of the force needed to stop the escalator when the latter has varying loads. In both cases with Woodward the steps are brought to a sudden, jolting stop.